After a mostly disappointing June that saw the release of very few summer tentpole films (and even fewer that were any good), this month seems poised to follow suit with an equally lackluster lineup. There are a couple blockbuster-sized movies on tap in July (like the follow-up to the “Planet of the Apes” prequel and Dwayne Johnson’s long-gestating Hercules film), but everything else feels very un-summery, including a Fourth of July weekend devoid of a big action movie. Instead, America gets to celebrate its freedom with Melissa McCarthy, and that’s pretty telling of just how poor this summer season has been.

“DELIVER US FROM EVIL”

Who: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez, Olivia Munn and Chris CoyWhat: NY police officer Ralph Sarchie joins forces with a priest schooled in the rituals of exorcism to combat the possessions that are terrorizing their city.When: July 2ndWhy: I know what you’re thinking: yet another horror movie that’s supposedly inspired by real-life events? But while the setup may seem more than a little contrived, Hollywood has proven on numerous occasions that you can still make an excellent horror film no matter how preposterous its claims may be. (Remember a little movie called “The Exorcist”?) Scott Derrickson is also one of the better directors currently working in the genre, and with a cast that includes Eric Bana and the underrated Edgar Ramirez, “Deliver Us from Evil” certainly has the potential to follow in the footsteps of last year’s “The Conjuring” as one of the surprise hits of this summer.

“TAMMY”

Who: Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Dan Aykroyd and Mark DuplassWhat: After losing her job and learning that her husband has been unfaithful, a woman hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother.When: July 2ndWhy: Melissa McCarthy clearly didn’t get the memo that her 15 minutes of fame are up, because the actress (who’s essentially a less talented female version of Chris Farley) keeps plugging away with dumb movie after dumb movie. And to make matters worse, studios continue to green light these so-called comedies because they make obscene amounts of money. Then again, so do those god-awful spoof films and just about anything produced by Tyler Perry. If “Identity Thief” and “The Heat” weren’t evidence enough that McCarthy is one of the most annoying, undeserving movie stars in Hollywood, then surely “Tammy” (which she co-wrote with husband/director Ben Falcone) will finally put an end to America’s baffling love affair with her.

“DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES”

Who: Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Jason Clarke and Kodi-Smit McPheeWhat: A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier.When: July 11thWhy: My expectations were pretty low going into “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” which is why it was such a pleasant surprise that the movie was actually good. But while another installment in Fox’s franchise reboot was inevitable, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” seems to have lost a lot of what made the prequel so unique from the rest of the series. It still takes place well before the 1968 original, but now the apes are walking, talking and even riding on horses while firing machine guns. That’s a far cry from Rupert Wyatt’s more down-to-earth prequel, so here’s hoping that director Matt Reeves is able to retain some of the humanity from that film.

Audiences have seen quite a few big movies may their way into theaters over the past two months, but the onslaught of summer tentpole films isn’t even close to over. In fact, we’ve just reached the midway point of the season, and as you might expect, there’s plenty more big blockbusters on their way, including a potential new Disney franchise for Johnny Depp, Guillermo del Toro’s answer to Godzilla, and the return of Wolverine.

“THE LONE RANGER”

Who: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, William Fichtner and Helena Bonham CarterWhat: Native American warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice.When: July 3rdWhy: Disney may think that they have another ready-made hit on their hands with this big screen adaptation of the popular radio serial, but I don’t know many people that are actually excited about “The Lone Ranger,” and that includes myself. Though Johnny Depp will almost certainly be a riot as the dead-bird wearing Tonto (he’s at his best when playing eccentric characters), Armie Hammer has yet to prove himself as a viable leading man. Additionally, the rumors about the film’s troubled production don’t exactly exude confidence, and although “World War Z” taught us not to take behind-the-scenes drama at face value, there hasn’t been a single trailer released yet that doesn’t make the movie look like one really expensive mess.

“THE WAY, WAY BACK”

Who: Liam James, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Steve Carrell and Amanda PeetWhat: Over the course of his summer break, a teenager comes into his own thanks in part to the friendship he strikes up with one of the park’s managers.When: July 5thWhy: After becoming a smash hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the coming-of-age comedy ignited a bidding war, with Fox Searchlight ultimately acquiring the rights for a near-record $10 million. The indie studio clearly believes that the film can replicate the box office success of “Little Miss Sunshine” (it even features two of the actors from that movie in Steve Carell and Toni Collete), and if the festival buzz is to be believed, an awards campaign might not be too far behind. The film marks the directorial debuts of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, who first turned industry heads with their Oscar-winning script for “The Descendants,” and boasts a star-studded cast that also includes Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney, Rob Corddry and Amanda Peet. Though it may seem like an odd time of the year to release such a small comedy, it’s actually a smart piece of counterprogramming that could work to its benefit.

“PACIFIC RIM”

Who: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day and Ron PerlmanWhat: When an alien attack threatens the Earth’s existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace.When: July 12thWhy: There’s surely more to this Japanese-inspired movie than giant robots fighting giant monsters, but at the moment, that appears to be all that matters to the giddy teenage boys (and fanboy bloggers) that were drooling at the mouth before they even saw a single frame. Personally, I’m a little worried that Guillermo del Toro’s sci-fi epic is going to be a bit cheesy, but it looks like so much fun that it probably won’t matter. Though the robot and monster designs aren’t nearly as cool as I was expecting considering del Toro’s past projects, the cast features a host of exciting actors, including Rinko Kikuchi, who’s been MIA from Hollywood since “The Brothers Bloom”; Idris Elba, who’s one role away from becoming a very big deal; and Hellboy himself, Ron Perlman, who usually makes everything better.

Though the summer movie season is typically reserved for the kind of big blockbuster action films that dominated theaters last month, June offers a more eclectic assortment of movies, including star-studded comedies, small indies, and yes, another helping of big blockbuster action films. From the return of Superman to the end of the world (twice), there are plenty of good reasons to get out of the sweltering heat and be entertained this June.

“THE INTERNSHIP”

Who: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Rose Byrne and John GoodmanWhat: Two salesmen whose careers have been ruined by the digital age get internships at Google, where they must compete against young, tech-savvy geniuses.When: June 7thWhy: It’s been almost a decade since Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson teamed up for “Wedding Crashers” – which, along with “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” helped revive the R-rated comedy – so there’s a certain degree of excitement about seeing them together on screen again. Of course, “Wedding Crashers” was actually funny, whereas “The Internship” doesn’t look quite as promising. The studio clearly believes that just by reuniting the two actors, the laughs will automatically flow, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. Director Shawn Levy’s previous comedies have been pretty tame in comparison to the duo’s last film, and many of the jokes in the trailer feel about five years past their sell-by date, Still, the Vaughn/Wilson reunion is simply too enticing to pass up, so I wouldn’t count out “The Internship” just yet.

“MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING”

Who: Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Clark Gregg, Reed Diamond and Nathan FillionWhat: A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.When: June 7thWhy: Most directors would take a much deserved vacation after wrapping on a movie as massive as “The Avengers,” but not Joss Whedon, who used his short break between filming and post-production on the Marvel blockbuster to shoot a modern day version of “Much Ado About Nothing” with some friends at his house. The movie is packed with familiar faces from the director’s so-called Whedonverse, with every one of his former TV shows represented in some capacity. Shot entirely in black and white, the film looks about as close to a low budget indie as you’re bound to find, but Whedon and Shakespeare are such a great fit (both celebrated for their sharp and witty dialogue) that it’s a wonder the latter didn’t attempt an adaptation of the Bard’s classic any sooner.

“THIS IS THE END”

Who: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel and Craig RobinsonWhat: While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.When: June 12thWhy: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s directorial debut is shaping up to be one of the most talked about movies of the summer. In addition to its core cast – made up primarily of Judd Apatow regulars like Rogen, Franco, Hill and Baruchel – the film boasts a veritable who’s who of Hollywood stars playing exaggerated versions of themselves, including Michael Cera, Rihanna and Emma Watson in what might be the cameo of the year. And that’s just the ones we know about. Though there doesn’t seem to be very much to the story, this is one of those instances where just putting these six guys into a room together should result in plenty of laughs, especially if they’re given as much free rein to improvise as you’d expect with Rogen behind the camera.

You’ll probably notice that there aren’t very many movies receiving wide releases this month, and that partly has to do with the return of a certain wise-cracking web-slinger to the big screen, but it’s mostly because every studio is terrified of “The Dark Knight Rises,” and they should be. Christopher Nolan’s last Batman film absolutely dominated the box office, eventually grossing just over a billion dollars worldwide, and if the business that “The Avengers” has been doing is any indication, the third installment is going to easily exceed that. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other movies worth checking out, because just about every title on this list should be considered must-see.

“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN”

Who: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen and Sally FieldWhat: Peter Parker finds a clue that might help explain why his parents disappeared years earlier, leading him to his father’s former partner, Dr. Curt Connors.When: July 3rdWhy: Sony’s decision to reboot the Spider-Man series only a decade after Sam Raimi’s first movie was released has earned its share of naysayers, but having already seen director Marc Webb’s new version, most people are going to be happy with the direction the series is headed. Though it’s a bit of a pain to have to sit through Peter Parker’s origin story all over again, Webb makes it just different enough that it’s never boring. The action scenes are also well-staged, and Spider-Man’s wise-cracking humor remains intact, but the best part about the movie is the characters themselves. Not only are the actors perfectly cast in their respective roles (especially Andrew Garfield, who embodies everything that’s great about Spider-Man), but the relationships are actually interesting, and you can’t say that about every superhero film, Raimi’s trilogy included.

“SAVAGES”

Who: Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively, Salma Hayek and Benicio del ToroWhat: Marijuana growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel that kidnapped their shared girlfriend.When: July 6thWhy: It’s been awhile since Oliver Stone made a movie worth caring about, but this big screen adaptation of Don Wilson’s bestseller has certainly piqued my interest. A drug-fueled crime thriller that looks like something the director would have made back in the 90s, “Savages” has a cool premise and a great cast to boot. Okay, so maybe Taylor Kitsch hasn’t had the best year between “John Carter” flopping and “Battleship” failing to find its sea legs at the domestic box office, but Aaron Johnson has impressed with his career choices lately, and the idea of Salma Hayek playing the big bad is oozing with potential. Though it’s unclear whether the film is supposed to have that grindhouse feel on purpose, if Stone can pull it off, he might just have another cult hit on his hands.

“EASY MONEY”

Who: Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela, Dragomir Mrsic and Mahmut SuvackiWhat: A three-tiered story centered on drugs and organized crime, focusing on a young man who becomes a runner for a cocaine dealer.When: July 13thWhy: I don’t know a whole lot about Daniel Espinosa’s “Easy Money” (originally titled “Snabba Cash” in its native country) other than it stars Joel Kinnaman of AMC’s “The Killing” and was a near-universal hit on the festival circuit, but quite frankly, that’s enough for me. The Swedish film industry has gotten a huge boost thanks to the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” series in recent years, and “Easy Money” reportedly follows in the same footsteps. Though I wasn’t crazy about Espinosa’s U.S. debut, “Safe House,” it had enough good moments (especially the fight scenes) to suggest he’s a promising talent. Plus, I’d see anything Kinnaman does these days, because his work on “The Killing” is so amazing that it’s no wonder he’s been tapped as Hollywood’s new It guy.

“THE DARK KNIGHT RISES”

Who: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine and Gary OldmanWhat: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face’s crimes, a new terrorist named Bane arrives in Gotham, prompting the Dark Knight to come out of hiding.When: July 20thWhy: Do you really need a reason? “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” are two of the best superhero movies ever made, and if early buzz is to be believed, the third and final installment of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is the best one yet. Though it’s going to be hard beating Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker, Tom Hardy certainly looks up to the task as the equally interesting Bane, who presents a completely different kind of threat. The involvement of the morally ambiguous Selina Kyle should also add some nice complexity to the story, and the fact that she’s played by Anne Hathaway doesn’t hurt either. I’m still not completely sold on the idea of introducing a flying vehicle into Batman’s arsenal of tech, but if Nolan has proven anything with these films, it’s that if something doesn’t make sense in his version of Gotham City, then it doesn’t belong.

“THE WATCH”

Who: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade and Rosemarie DeWittWhat: Suburban dads who form a neighborhood watch group find themselves defending the Earth from an alien invasion.When: July 27thWhy: Perhaps best described as “Attack the Block” in the suburbs, “The Watch” has the potential to be really good, but that all depends on whether director Akiva Schaffer was able to keep his cast on a relatively tight leash. While Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill have all carved out successful careers due to their excellent improv skills, they also have a tendency to take jokes too far. (See: the interrogation scene in the trailer.) With a script written by “Superbad” scribes Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, however, it’s hard to imagine that very much riffing was required. Then again, the real reason to see the film isn’t even for Stiller, Vaughn or Hill, but the fourth member of the Neighborhood Watch team played by British comedian Richard Ayoade. Already a star in the UK, it’s about time that American audiences saw what all the fuss was about.

“KILLER JOE”

Who: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple and Thomas Haden ChurchWhat: When a debt puts a young man’s life in danger, he orders a hit on his good-for-nothing mother in order to collect the insurance money.When: July 27thWhy: I had the chance to see William Friedkin’s latest movie at SXSW earlier this year, and it’s without a doubt the best film that he’s made in a very long time. Adapted by Tracy Letts from his stage play of the same name, this self-described “totally twisted, deep-fried, Texas redneck trailer park murder story” is one of the most intense and polarizing moviegoing experiences of the past decade. The events that transpire over the course of the film will likely divide audiences (particularly a tension-packed final act that gets a bit weird and perverse), it’s as fascinating to watch unravel as it is repulsive. Every single performance is great, but it’s Matthew McConaughey who commands the screen with what might just be the best role of his career. It’s about time the actor showed off his full potential, and this white trash “Blood Simple” does all that and more.

“RUBY SPARKS”

Who: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Chris Messina, Annette Bening and Antonio BanderasWhat: A novelist struggling with writer’s block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, and then willing her into existence.When: July 27thWhy: It’s been six years since Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris’ directorial debut “Little Miss Sunshine” took Hollywood by storm, so it’s not surprising that people were beginning to worry that they might just be a one-hit wonder. Though it’s going to be almost impossible to replicate the success of their first film, “Ruby Sparks” definitely has the potential to be another hit for the duo, critically if not commercially. Reuniting Dayton and Faris with actor Paul Dano, and co-starring indie darling Zoe Kazan (who also wrote the screenplay), the movie has such a unique premise that, if executed correctly, it’s going to be really hard to forget come awards time. I wouldn’t start filling out your Oscar ballots yet, but “Ruby Sparks” could be this year’s “Midnight in Paris.”